


Of Friendship and Beer

by CaptainCoughdrop



Series: Disasters [5]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Background GerIta - Freeform, Big Brother Denmark, Denmark Is A Sweetheart, Fluff, Other, Prussia Needs A Hug, a bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 05:11:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12976713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainCoughdrop/pseuds/CaptainCoughdrop
Summary: ‘Velkommen tilbage, Gilbert,’ the older nation said mildly, turning a page of his book and looking up with a smile. ‘Or is it wilkommen zurück?’Part 6 of the Disasters verse.





	Of Friendship and Beer

**Author's Note:**

> Finally! A fic about Denmark!
> 
> This is set during WW2, where Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany, and Mathias is living in Gil and Luddy’s house in Bavaria along with other occupied nations.
> 
> My opinion on Mathias- well, he and Kiku are my babies. I think he’s an absolute sweetheart, and I also think he’s a lot smarter and mature than he usually lets on. My headcanon age for him is 1520, meaning he appeared before Denmark was founded as a nation, but I feel like countries can be born before their people unify as a country, as long as there are people living there. I’m kind of erring on the side of Mathias at first personifying the whole of Scandinavia until Lukas was born (my headcanon age for him is 1148) but I’m not sure about that yet. On the other hand, my headcanon age for Gilbert is about 827 years old, which means he appeared along with the Teutonic Knights. I also think that he sees Mathias as his older cousin.
> 
> When Mathias says he raised ‘four other nations, five including Lukas’, I’m referring to Iceland, Sweden and Finland, along with Greenland (my headcanon name for her is Seeri, although she probably won’t be a big character). I can’t see Lukas as being someone who’d allow himself to be looked after, so I think he and Mathias always knew each other, but he was very independent. Gilbert doesn’t really like him because from the outside, it looks like Lukas is always talking down about Mathias- in reality, their relationship is loving, although Lukas can be a bit distant at times.
> 
> ‘Hitler’s Canary’ is a book which describes the Nazi occupation of Denmark, by Sandi Toksvig, which is really good, and I would definitely recommend reading it. I don’t know if ‘Hitler’s Canary’ was an actual term used about Denmark during WW2, as it was in the book, but it fitted with this story, so I used it.
> 
> Finally, ‘Erzsébet’ is the Hungarian form of Elizaveta, and I just really like it. And, no, she’s not dating him (they were married for a time, during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but that ended on good terms).

_8th January 1943_

The wind was howling outside when Gilbert Beilschmidt stumbled through the doors of his and Ludwig’s home in Bavaria; the warmth that met him as he closed the door was much needed. He sighed, and shook the snow off of his boots. He was sick of the damn stuff.

The house was quiet- it was pretty late, he supposed. However, it seemed someone was awake, to keep the fire going. Or maybe they were all awake, and were just avoiding him. Gilbert sighed again, and ran a hand through dirty white locks. Roderich was away, visiting Erzsébet for a while (and they didn’t even invite him.) Ludwig was away as well, something about Feliciano doing something ridiculous and needing his help. Gilbert shook his head. Those two were so cute. The sooner Ludwig stopped being so shy and asked the Italian out, the better. His little brother was such a dork, it was incredible.

Gilbert walked into the kitchen, and didn’t fight the smile that rose when he saw Mathias Køhler, the personification of Denmark, sat casually at the table, reading a book and generally looking right at home.

‘ _Velkommen tilbage_ , Gilbert,’ the older nation said mildly, turning a page of his book and looking up with a smile. ‘Or is it _wilkommen zurück_?’

That was what Gilbert liked at Mathias- he didn’t take things so seriously. Of course, compared to the rest of Europe, the war wasn’t as bad on him, but he still had more than enough reason to hate Gilbert and Ludwig, or at least be angry with them. But he wasn’t. He was always the same bouncy guy they’d always known- a little quieter and sadder, perhaps, and he’d never pretended to agree with what they were doing, but essentially the same.

‘ _Gutan tag_ , Mathias,’ sighed Gilbert, dropping into the chair opposite him. Mathias eyed him for a minute, before folding the page and closing the book. ‘ _Wie gehts_?’

‘Fine.’ Mathias waved his hand casually. ‘Good day, I see?’

Gilbert was silent. Today had gone badly. As had every day for the last few years. That was why he’d stopped at the local inn for a few beers before returning to a home that didn’t feel as comforting as it once had. The Germanic nation stared at his hands.

‘Why don’t you hate us, Mathias?’ The question escaped his lips before he could stop it, but he didn’t regret asking. It had been something that had been bothering ever since they invaded Denmark and Mathias was made to move into the house.

‘Because you’re my friend, Gil.’ Mathias sounded surprised, as if he had no idea why Gilbert would even ask such a question. As if he hadn’t been invaded and cut off from his beloved family, made to live in a country that wasn’t his own and speak German (not that he obeyed that last rule much, but still). ‘You know that.’

‘They call you Hitler’s Canary.’ The beer had obviously loosened his lips, and Gilbert blushed as he awaited Mathias’ response. He’d deliberately kept this fact from Mathias, because it was _hurtful_. He didn’t want Mathias to know that the world thought he was a coward for refusing to fight. Mathias was too nice, too cuddly, for that. He was a bouncing puppy made of sunshine and rainbows. ‘They say you should have fought back when we invaded.’

Mathias was quiet for a moment, his eyes downcast, and Gilbert mentally kicked himself. Then the Dane looked up again, and gave him a sad smile. ‘Yeah. I know.’

‘You do?’ Gilbert was surprised- he’d expected shock, or anger, but not this. ‘How?’

‘Lukas sent me a letter, just after we surrendered.’ Mathias gave a half-shrug, tracing his fingers over the cover of his book. ‘He was very angry. I kind of got the gist.’

‘Oh.’ Sometimes, Gilbert really wondered what it was that Mathias saw in Lukas Bondevik. I mean, sure, the guy was ok looking, but he wasn’t some breathtakingly beautiful stunner (though, beauty was in the eye of the beholder, Gilbert supposed). Plus, Lukas was- and there’s no nice way to put this- kind of an asshole. Gilbert couldn’t remember any time _ever_ when Lukas had treated Mathias with anything other than annoyance and blatant disrespect. And he knew that things might be different behind closed doors, but didn’t Mathias ever get sick of being talked down to all the time?

No. Mathias was Gilbert’s friend and drinking buddy, but he’d never warmed to Lukas.

‘Have you seen him, recently?’ Mathias’ voice broke into his thoughts. ‘ _Norge_ , I mean.’

‘No,’ said Gilbert honestly. Lukas Bondevik had been running with rebel groups, and despite his best efforts, was very hard to pin down. ‘I haven’t.’

‘Well, that’s probably for the best,’ nodded Mathias, looking briefly disappointed before the smile reappeared. ‘How’s Ludwig? I haven’t seen him in a while.’

‘He’s helping Feliciano with something,’ shrugged Gilbert. Mathias’ grin widened.

‘Those two are so cute.’ The Dane was quiet for a moment, smiling vaguely, but Gilbert felt him watching him out of the corner of his bright blue eyes. ‘C’mon, Gil. What’s wrong?’

‘You should hate us,’ Gilbert said. ‘I think your people do.’

Mathias scrubbed a hand over his eyes, and leant back on his chair. ‘Look. As the nation of Denmark, I want nothing more than for German soldiers to get the hell out, don’t get me wrong. And I think your leader is fucking awful.’ Gilbert’s shoulders drooped, although he had to agree. ‘But. As Mathias Køhler, I trust Gilbert Beilschmidt, and his brother Ludwig. They’re great guys, deep down. And they’re my friends.’

Trying to pretend his eyes weren’t slightly damp (his people were losing a war, ok, and he was tired, and- oh, whatever), Gilbert looked up at Mathias’ kind gaze. ‘How do you always know the right thing to say, huh?’ He got a wide grin in return. ‘You always forget that I’m older than you, Gil. And that I raised four other countries- five, if you include Lukas. And that I’ve been putting up with you Germanic dipshits since the Middle Ages.’ He smiled at his book reminiscently. ‘You learn some things.’

‘Has anyone ever told you that you’re the best older cousin in the world?’

Mathias just snorted, and reached forward to poke Gilbert on the shoulder. ‘Go to bed, Gil,’ he laughed. ‘You must be tired if you’re being this sappy.’

‘Yeah,’ agreed Gilbert, suddenly realising how true that was. ‘Yeah, I guess.’ He stood. ‘ _Gute Nacht_ , Mathias.’

‘ _Godnat_ ,’ answered Mathias, casting him one more smile.

That night, as Gilbert curled up beneath his covers, even the sound of the wind and snow howling outside his window couldn’t squash the warm bubble in his chest.

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:  
> Velkommen tilbage: welcome back, Danish  
> Wilkommen zurück: welcome back, German  
> Guten Tag: good day (used as ‘hello’), German  
> Wie gehts: how are you, German  
> Gute Nacht: good night, German  
> Godnat: good night, Danish


End file.
